Written By komlim puldel on Minggu, 14 Desember 2014 | 23.08

ASADA has failed in it's legal bid to have two witnesses compelled to give evidence in the Essendon anti-doping tribunal.

ASADA's case against Essendon will begin on Monday.Source: News Limited

Before the most contentious tribunal case in VFL/AFL history starts on Monday — behind closed doors — Grant Baker tells you everything you need to know about the case and the key players.

WHAT

Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority v 34 current and former Essendon players, and Stephen Dank

WHEN

The hearing begins at 10am today. The tribunal will sit again on Thursday and Friday and then resume on January 12 after the Christmas break. In all, the tribunal is expected to sit for about three weeks.

WHERE

County Court, William Street

THE CHARGES

Players face the allegation they used the banned peptide Thymosin-beta 4.

HOW WE GOT HERE

In February 2013, Essendon "self-reported" its concerns about possibly having used banned supplements. Many revelations followed about the 2012 supplements program and the Essendon-commissioned Switkowski Report found governance failings. The AFL found Essendon had brought the game into disrepute, and punished the club and its senior coach James Hird. By June this year, ASADA decided on show cause notices only to have the process blocked by Federal Court action from the Bombers and Hird. That failed (Hird's appeal notwithstanding), and ASADA reissued the notices. The AFL duly charged them with anti-doping offences and convened these hearings.

THE JUDGES

David Jones QC (chair, retired judge)

John Nixon (retired judge)

Wayne Henwood (former Sydney player, barrister)

WHO ELSE WILL BE THERE

Lawyers. A whole, expensive, bunch of them. Lawyers for ASADA will prosecute; lawyers for the players (two sets of them) will defend while lawyers for the AFL will, well, be there. The three witnesses ASADA may call are high-profile sports physician Peter Fricker — who knows Dank; University of Sydney endocrinologist David Handelsman and a former business associate of biochemist Shane Charter called Sergio Del Vechio. It's unlikely they will be called before January.

Shane Charter, who ASADA wanted to appear as a witness, won't be at the anti-doping tribunal. Picture: Luke Marsden.Source: News Corp Australia

WHO WON'T BE THERE

Shane Charter and compounding chemist Nima Alavi. The Supreme Court ruled on Friday they could not be compelled to attend. Dank, too, is unlikely to show up or be represented. The players are considered unlikely to attend, but can watch via video-link at another location should they choose.

WHY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

Chairman Jones rejected a bid by the Herald Sun and other media outlets for an open hearing. The application was supported, with qualifications, by the AFL. Jones argued the rights of the players to privacy outweighed the public interest.

All media will be banned from the AFL ASADA hearings following the request of 32 former and current Essendon players involved in the doping scandal

THE CASE

ASADA'S case was simply put by lawyer Dan Star in the Supreme Court matter last week: Charter sourced the banned peptide Thymosin beta-4; Alavi prepared it for injection and gave it to Dank; Dank injected it into the 34 players.

THE CHARTER/ALAVI FACTOR

ASADA has been steadfast that it can run its case without direct testimony from its star witnesses, but their absence may cause the tribunal to put a lesser weighting on the previous, unsworn statements they gave to ASADA and on which the anti-doping body now relies. The players could argue that some of their evidence should not be admitted, because they do not have the opportunity to scrutinise it on cross examination.

STANDARD OF PROOF

For a guilty verdict, the tribunal must find to its "comfortable satisfaction" that the offence was committed. It is commonly accepted the level of proof required is higher than balance of probability but lower than beyond reasonable doubt.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

For the players, bans could range from effectively three months to two years. For ASADA, failure to successfully prosecute will almost certainly bring on a Federal inquiry. Dank has no future in the AFL regardless of the outcome, but an AFL life ban would be honoured by all sports.

"There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing.

"You need to leave or get ready to actively defend.

"The fire started in Whiteman Park and is burning on both sides of Lord Street, close to homes near and between Charlton Way and Park Street, in Brabham.''

BALCATTA, SOUTHERN RIVER FIRES

In a shocking day for Perth firefighters, they were also called to deal with two other serious fires, one in Southern River, the other in Balcatta.

A structure and rubbish fire in Balcatta in now contained and under control, however smoke will be affecting the area for the rest of the evening.

The fire is burning at the Balcatta Recycling Centre on Balcatta Road, and has been contained to a rubbish pile.

The smoke plume is being blown north.

A bushfire advice has been issued for people in Homles Street, between Harpenden and Balfour Streets, in Southern River, in the City of Gosnells.

There is no threat to lives or homes but there is a lot of smoke in the area.

There is no immediate danger, but people need to be aware and keep up to date in case the situation changes.

The fire is burning on the southern side of Holmes Street and is burning in a northern direction.

HENLEY BROOK BUSHFIRE BEHAVIOUR:

The bushfire is moving slowly in a north easterly direction.

It is out of control and unpredictable. Burning embers are likely to be blown around your home. Spot fires are starting ahead of the fire.

WHAT TO DO:

If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place.

Do not wait and see, leaving at the last minute is deadly.

There is ember attack ahead of the fire, so close all doors and windows, and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible.

If your plan is to stay and actively defend, do not rely on mains water pressure as it may be affected. If you have access to a water tank and plan to defend your home, start patrolling with your hose and put out spot fires.

If you cannot leave, you need to get ready to shelter in your home and actively defend it.

If you are not at home, it is too dangerous now to return.

SAFER PLACE:

Your safest option may be to visit family or friends who live away from the area.

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support has also set up a temporary evacuation centre at (place). If you have animals you can relocate to (place).

ALERT LEVEL:

A bushfire WATCH AND ACT has been issued for people in parts of Henley Brook bounded by Lord Street, Gnangara Road, Robert Street and Henley Street in the City of Swan.

There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing.

You need to leave or get ready to actively defend.

WHAT TO DO:

If you are not prepared or you plan to leave, leave now if the way is clear.

There is ember attack ahead of the fire, so close all doors and windows, and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible.

If you are well prepared and plan to actively defend your home, make final preparations now.

Do not rely on mains water pressure as it may be affected. If you have access to a water tank and plan to defend your home, start patrolling with your hose and put out spot fires.

If you are not at home, do not try to return as conditions in the area could be very dangerous.

ROAD CLOSURES:

Avoid the area and be aware of fire and other emergency services personnel working on site.

A number of roads have been closed including:

Lord Street between Park Street and Harrow Street.

WHAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE DOING:

Approximately 100 career and volunteer firefighters are on the scene actively fighting the fire.

"Of course there's been a decline in iron ore prices but there's also been a collapse in consumer confidence, business confidence and rising unemployment on his watch," he said.

"Why? Well firstly you see the Government's unfair cuts to family budgets, impacting on consumer confidence, and, importantly, the Australian people knowing that the Treasurer's just not up to the job that impacts on confidence."

Mr Hockey should "walk away from his Budget and start again, admit he got it wrong", he said.

Mr Hockey said growth would stay around 2.5 per cent but would then increase to 3 per cent.

"We expect unemployment to continue to grow, obviously, to levels that are a tick higher than what we forecast in the Budget, but this year we have seen a significant improvement in job creation," he said.

"This year we have seen job creation run at three times the speed of last year … if we had the same settings as the last year of the Labor Party in Government, unemployment would be at over 7 per cent and more than 110,000 Australians would not be in a job."

Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook: What we know

· No Budget surplus in foreseeable future, and bigger deficits across the forward estimates

Serious ... Mel B was rushed to hospital after collapsing. She is being tested for stomach ulcers and viruses. Picture: SplashSource: Supplied

MEL B owes her life to a quick thinking chauffeur driver, who raced her to a hospital in London after stomach pains left her "screaming in agony".

She was on her way to a press conference and rehearsal when she fell ill after being picked up from her house.

The 29-year-old is reportedly receiving treatment for a stomach ulcer and is believed to be in a stable condition. Currently she is being monitored in the high dependency unit which is one level below intensive care.

The X Factor judge is said to be having tests done for a various viruses as well as stomach ulcers.

Script stolen ... The screenplay to the upcoming James Bond film Spectre, starring Daniel Craig has been stolen as part of the massive Sony Pictures hack. Picture: AFPSource: AFP

JAMES Bond has become the latest victim of the massive Sony hack, after the script to the upcoming film Spectre was published online.

And it seems Sony executives are scrambling to fix the film's ending, according to Gawker.

The leaked emails show producers show them going line by line through the script, complaining that it doesn't have a good "twist", that they're not happy with the villain and that the movie diesn't have enough follow-on from the previous Bond films.

Maker Eon Productions says it's concerned third parties who have received the screenplay might seek to publish it.

Bond girls ... French actress Lea Seydoux, left, and Italian actress Monica Bellucci are announced as co-stars for Spectre in London on December 4. Picture: AFPSource: AFP

The company warned it would take "all necessary steps" to protect the rights of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Danjaq LLC, which is responsible for material related to James Bond on screen.

The Bond leaks are the latest in a serious of embarrassing Sony email leaks from producers and Sony boss Amy Pascal including revealing employee salaries and person details.

In one email, a producer called Angelina Jolie a spoiled brat, writer Aaron Sorkin complained that actor Michael Fassbender makes people feel bad about their manhood and plans to do a 21 Jump Street and Men in Black crossover.

New bond film ... Italian actress Monica Bellucci, French actress Lea Seydoux will play "Bond girls", while British actress Naomi Harris is back as Miss Moneypenny. Picture: AFPSource: AFP

Other emails revealed Jennifer Lawrence was paid less than her mail co-stars for American Hustle.

The Daily Beast yesterday published emails showing Pascal called Leonardo DiCaprio "absolutely despicable" for deciding to drop out of the troubled Steve Jobs biopic Jobs.

Pascal and produce Scott Rudin were also forced to apologise for leaked emails showing them making racial jokes about US President Barack Obama's taste in movies, suggesting he should watch Django Unchained and 12 Years a Slave.

Boring badie? ... The studio also worried that Bond villain Heinrich Stockmann, played by Christoph Waltz, was not interesting enough. Picture: AFPSource: AFP

There's been speculation North Korea is behind the cyberattack in retaliation for the James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy The Interview, which depicts an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korea has condemned the film but denies the hack, which some believe may be an inside job. A group calling themselves Guardians of the Peace have claimed responsibility.